People Are Blind
by kingkeegster
Summary: The love square continues. Takes place after Season 2 episode 2, Papa Garou/Weredad.


**Notes:** Obviously, I do not claim to own Miraculous Ladybug.

This is basically like its own episode, mostly focused on the romance, similar to Le Patineur/Frozer. Honestly, it's even more direct than Le Patineur/Frozer.

Any tips about combat or narration, or anything else are very much appreciated, _especially_ if I didn't get a characterization right. Now on to the story!

* * *

 **Le Forain Noir**

In Adrien's room, he ponders what to do about Marinette. He spat out his toothpaste. "Okay, I've already done it once. I can do it again."

As he rinses his mouth, Plagg says, "Are you sure you want to do this?"

"It's amazing that she loves both sides of me. The whole me. If only Ladybug would do the same. But I have to tell her."

"Two identities, two you's, two girls. Seems fair to me. And it wouldn't hurt your chances, you know."

"No, I've already said; I have to be honest with Marinette. I'm in love with Ladybug. I don't think she would want me to be with me if I thought she were only second best."

* * *

Adrien tries to say something during school, but he always tenses up, and always has to change the subject to get anything out. Maybe that's what Marinette felt like when trying to speak to him.

A knock at the Dupain-Cheng door.

Sabine says, "Can you get that, Marinette?"

"Sure." She opens the door wide.

"Hey, I need to talk to you." He hopes she can't tell he's uncomfortable.

"Oh, Adrien! Wasn't expecting you here, not that I don't want to see you!" She has a strained smile, and her eyes twitch at her parents behind her uncomfortably. Her parents looked at Adrien, surprised. "Talk to me about what?"

"Something in private."

"Uh. Okay." She smiles wider like usual, and gestures to the ladder.

"We're just going to talk, Mom, Dad."

Marinette's balcony.

Adrien looks worried. His eyebrows are tense, eyes facing away from her.

"What is it, Adrien?" She watches as he walks up to the railing, and looks at the evening view.

"I couldn't think of how to tell you this, but-."

"Yes?!" She bites her smiling lip. She seems a bit too excited. His message will probably be pretty hard on her.

"You're amazing, Marinette, and a really great friend. I need you to know that. And I know you have a crush on me. You kissed me." He pats the back of his head. "It all makes sense if I think about it. The pictures, the stammering. Not only are people blind, I guess _I'm_ blind." He let out a chuckle, then sighed. He turned to see that she had a confused expression. "I have to tell you something. I've been putting it off, so I haven't said anything about it for a while, but it would be unfair to you not to." He winced.

She looks concerned, and she rests her arm on his shoulder.

"I came here to say that I don't feel the same... about you as you do about me."

"Oh." She also leaned against the railing slowly with both hands. They both paused, not looking at each other. "Why?"

He turns to her. "I… can't tell you. I'm really, really sorry."

"Is it Kagami?" She tries to make a fake smile.

"No. That—that was a huge lie. Unintentionally, but it was. I don't think I was ever really interested in Kagami. Kagami herself could tell that. That's when I decided I wouldn't switch targets. When I described Kagami, I realize now that I was actually describing…" He clenches his fist. "There's this girl."

Marinette gasps. "There's a girl?"

He turns back to her. "Yeah. I can't tell you any more. I'm not even supposed to tell you that, honestly. Can you please not tell this to anyone? I promised I would keep this secret. I trust you won't tell." He almost looks scared.

"Don't worry, I won't."

"Thank you." He walks to the center of the balcony looking in the opposite direction. "For a while, I thought you and I could be together. Somehow I had suspicions that it would all work out. But yesterday, I realized it wouldn't. I like you too, but I'm not sure anymore. I'm really sorry to tell you. I'm sorry I didn't tell you sooner."

"How long have you known her?"

"Since the first day of school. I mean, she's not actually at our school, but-"

"That's when I started to like _you_."

"Really? You were angry at me for a while that day..."

"Yeah." Marinette sighs. "I'm sure she's amazing. Does she love you?"

"She _is_ amazing. You are too." He sighs. "She says she doesn't. But even if she doesn't love me, even if she likes someone else, I love her. She'll love me too, eventually. It's just a matter of time."

"How do you know?"

"I just have to hope it's true."

Marinette hangs her head low, her eyes on the verge of tears. She turns to the side away from him, and looks out to the Eiffel Tower in the distance. The usual sirens sound in the distance.

"I don't know what to say." His voice softens to a whisper so she couldn't hear. "Especially since someone else also rejected you."

She heard it. "How would you know about that? Is that why you- Oh no!" She knocks her head straight on the railing, and crouches on it.

"I- uh- just knew from your expression, that's all." He tries to put on a gentle smile. He rushes over to her, and crouches down. "No, don't think that's why I can't accept you! I-"

"My parents would have given it away eventually anyway. You're right. It was Chat Noir." She didn't seem to be particularly upset mentioning it. A good sign? "No, I like him, but- you've always been much more than him to me. Obviously, I mean, how could I possibly know Chat Noir much… right?" She gave an awkward smile, biting her lip again.

"Oh. Then this must be much worse. I'm so, so sorry."

"Don't say that. It's not your fault."

"But it is. If I only said sooner-."

"Are you sure she's the one for you?"

"I know she is." He smiles a bit as he looks up through the railing.

They look at each other as she says, "Then go for her. She'll realize that you're amazing too, just like I do." She grabs him tightly on the shoulder.

"You think so? You're really saying that?" He sits up straighter and his eyes widen with delight.

"I'm sure of it."

He gets up and pulls Marinette up with him with her hands.

He rushes to wrap his arms around her tightly before she can react. With closed eyes, he puts the side of his head right against hers. "Thank you for listening to me, Marinette. You're the best. You're not mad at me?"

"No, of course not. You have every right to like someone else. Friends are there to help each other."

"I know what it's like, someone you love not feeling the same way. I was sad, and you probably are too, maybe even jealous. Tell me the truth." He looks at her with gentle, concerned eyes.

She looks up at him. Her eyes water up, and her cheeks redden. "I _am_ sad. And a bit jealous. But I want what's best for _you_."

"I hope we can still be friends. Our friendship means everything to me." His smile fades. "But really, are you mad at me? I'd understand if you don't want to talk to me anymore. Like when we first met."

She pauses. Slowly, with great deliberation on each word, she says, "I am mad, but not at you."

She shakes a little as she grabs a hold of Adrien, and her face contracts. She leans on him a bit.

"Let it all out if you have to. It's just me. I'm here." He lets out a gentle smile.

She grips his clothes harder, and thrusts her face into his shoulder. Then, leaving a spot of damp on Adrien's shoulder, she tilts her head away from his, pondering whether to say something.

He can see her mouth begin to move but nothing come out. He says, "Tell me."

"I'm mad that I'm not good enough for you. That l'm not as good as that lucky girl, and she rejected you!"

"Don't say that! You _are_ good enough. If she weren't there, you would be it. But it wasn't meant to be. I'm sure you'll find someone else, better than I could be. Maybe I can even help."

"What if you realize that she's not who you want?"

"I'm sorry, but I don't think that could happen. Anyway, I should get going." He gently pulls her off of him, turns to the exit, then turns back to her. "I hope that you can forgive me and that we could still be friends. Please don't hate me. You were the first friend I chose, you know. I don't want to lose you." He lets himself down the hatch. "I guess I'll see you tomorrow."

She follows him to her room, and then he leaves without a word.

She fully realizes what happened after she hears the hatch to her room close shut.

"Oh, Tikki, tell me that didn't happen!"

Tikki flies around aimlessly around Marinette, but doesn't answer.

"This is even worse than Kagami! _This_ was who he was really talking about! I told him I want the best for him and I do, but isn't the best for him me? That girl doesn't even love him. _I_ love him!" She lies on her bed with her face on the pillow. "Maybe I'm really not the best for Adrien. He probably deserves someone else anyway."

* * *

The next day, Marinette slowly walks into class. Fortunately, she isn't late, but the thoughts of Adrien drags on her.

Alya says, "What's wrong?"

Marinette says, "Nothing" as she drags her feet and sits down at the desk near Alya without looking at her. She rests her head on the desk in between her own arms.

"That is _not_ nothing. Girl, did something happen?"

Adrien and Nino walk in and sit down. Adrien glances at Marinette, but she drags her head further into her arms. Adrien frowns and turns back around.

Alya says, "Is it to do with Adrien?"

"Yeah. Yesterday, he…."

"Rejected you?"

In a voice muffled by her arms, Marinette says, "Yes."

Alya says, "I'm so sorry." Then she starts thinking. "Why?"

Still muffled, she says, "I can't tell you."

"Why?"

"It's a secret. Don't say this to anyone, okay?"

Nino says to Adrien, "Dude, do you know what happened with Marinette?"

Adrien says, "Yeah, I really don't want to talk about it. I think she might hate me again, but this time it's a lot worse."

Nino, "It can't be that bad. Just go and talk to her, just like you did the first day of school. Worked wonders."

"It's not a just misunderstanding this time, though. I don't think anything I say can help."

At lunchtime, Alya and Marinette sit at a table in the dining hall, and Nino, and Adrien sit at another.

Marinette, with a pained expression, says, "Alya, what do you think I should do?" She dramatically flung her arms around desperately.

"About what? Adrien?"

"Yes!"

"I don't know. You're not exactly giving me anything useful. Girl, you got to get out there and show him how great you really are. He's looking pretty bad too, come to think of it. Go over to him. You can do it."

She sits up taller than she had all day. "You're right. Maybe I can show him that I'm better than whoever this other girl is. Now I have competition, but I won't let down without a fight. I need to convince him that I'm better for him than her."

Alya peers at Marinette's face and smiles slyly. " _What_?"

Marinette grabs her head and screeches as silently as she could. She puts her finger up to Alya's mouth. "Shh! You weren't supposed to know that! Don't tell… _anyone_! You didn't hear anything! He trusted me to keep it secret!"

"I wonder who it could be." Alya looks over to Adrien and Nino, and spots Lila standing and pushing her fingers on Adrien's chest as Adrien stays sitting. "Could it be Lila?"

She waves her hand as if she waves the thought away. "Oh, no. Of course not." Her confidence fades. "Why? You think it could be?"

"Maybe."

"No no no! There's no way. We both know that Lila's a liar. And he hates lies just as much as I do."

"You _don't know_ she's a liar though."

Marinette crosses her arms and looks over to Lila and Adrien. "Well, we both think she is. You better not find out or tell Adrien about this. He's going to _kill_ me."

"Why is it such a secret anyway?"

Marinette looks over to Adrien. "I don't know, but it seems pretty serious." She leans across the table and points harshly at Alya. "I _cannot_ let this get out."

"Chill, girl. My mouth is shut. But it looks like you've got some work to do. Go talk with him over there." Alya points to the other table.

"You… think I can do it?"

"Sure you can. Tell him how amazing you are!"

"But he already has said I'm amazing."

"Then it should be all the easier."

She hesitantly gets up from her chair, then with fierce determination, puts down her plate and sits down next to Adrien. Lila and Marinette glare at each other.

Adrien holds Marinette's arm and says, "Hey, are you all right now?"

"I'm better." She blushes a little.

Lila grits her teeth when she notices. She hurriedly thinks of something to say. She leans in a little bit too close. "Adrien, can you help me with chemistry after school? I need a lot of help after missing so many days."

Adrien says, "I'd want to, Lila, but… um." He thinks of his Chat Noir life and how he wants to talk to Marinette. "I'm a bit busy right now."

"Is it those photoshoots?"

He rests his hand on the back of his head. "No, it's something else. Maybe some other time?"

Lila walks away. Marinette sighs with relief.

Nino says, "I'm going to go to Alya, dude. See you." He moves to the other table.

He notices he's still holding onto her arm, and lets go, chuckling nervously. Adrien and Marinette pick at their food, waiting for the other to say something. Adrien says, "So Marinette…."

Marinette opens her mouth to say something but doesn't. She thinks for a moment, and says, "Lila's becoming pretty pushy with you, isn't she?"

"Oh no, I know what you're thinking. I can't talk about it. But if you must know, Lila wasn't whom I was talking about."

"Yeah. Good. Of course not."

"You're not still mad, are you?"

"What? No, it's fine."

They sit there in silence for a moment again.

"You know what, let's exchange phone numbers. Call me anytime. I'm surprised we hadn't done this sooner. If you ever want to talk, give me a call."

* * *

At the end of the day, Adrien sees Luka walk into Marinette's bakery after school. He peers at him from the entrance of the school, then scoots past the car his bodyguard is going to pick him up in, ducking behind bushes along the way.

As he gets really close to the bakery, he says to himself, "What could he want?"

Adrien carefully crouches at the entrance of the bakery. His eyebrows are tense, and he puts his ear on the windowed door. He glances around the streets.

Plagg comes out of Adrien's jacket and says, "So you _are_ in love in Marinette."

"No! I mean, I don't know. But I need to know what's up with Luka."

"Then why are you so interested in what Luka's doing with Marinette? Are you going after Marinette or not?"

Adrien shushes Plagg. He listens intensely and hears a muffled, "…movies with you."

He hears Marinette's voice. "All right." She giggles. "Wait, it looks like there's someone at the door. Huh?"

He turns his eyes to the door window and sees Marinette staring back at him. She rushes to the door and opens it.

"Hi." She blinks a couple times, then gave a really quick smile and wave. In her usual sweet voice, she says, "Why are you here?"

"Oh." He turns away from her. "No reason, just… uh- looking at the times the bakery's open… yeah."

She says, "Actually, I have to tell you some-."

Luka walks up to the door from behind Marinette.

"Hi, Luka, didn't expect to see you, heh. I uh… sorry, better get going." He runs to his limousine.

Marinette says, "I wonder what's up with Adrien."

Luka chuckles and says, "I guess he's really desperate for croissants."

Marinette giggles. "He really does seem to like the food here. I remember he was really surprised by how good the quiches were."

In the limousine, Adrien says, "Sorry I'm late. I just had to check up on a friend." He leans against the window as his bodyguard begins driving off and softly says to himself, "What am I going to do now?"

He dials Marinette's number, but stops before pressing the call button.

* * *

In his room, he takes out his phone again. He dials the same number again, but throws his phone on his bed. "What do I do, Plagg? I can't say that I spied on her conversation. But I can't let her go alone with Luka either."

Plagg says, "Why not?"

"You know what I mean, Plagg. What do I do?"

"What makes you think I'd know, kid?"

"Ugh! Never mind. I hope she doesn't suspect anything. I don't even know what movie it is." He moves his arms in the air as if he were cutting down at something. "Okay, I'll just ask what she's doing tonight. That doesn't sound suspicious, right? If she says that that movie's tonight, then I'll go with her."

He calls, walking back and forth, holding the phone awkwardly with his arms. It switches to voice message.

He says, "Hi, are you free tonight? I'd like to… hang out… with you. Bye." He ends the message and slouches down on his bed.

A ring on the phone again, and he picks it up. He stands up immediately. "It's Marinette!" He glances over to Plagg, who is nibbling on cheese, seeming not the least interested.

He waits for a moment and doesn't hear a response.

"Hello?"

" _Hi, heh. I-I would love to. Hang out with you, I mean. I'm going to a movie with Luka tonight though."_

"I can come with you guys! I mean, if you want."

" _Yeah! Sure! I'll text you the time and directions."_

His confidence fades. "All right. See you there! Lo- bye!"

" _You too. I mean, bye! I meant bye!"_

He hangs up and sighs in relief.

* * *

Later that evening, Adrien plays piano in his room. Then he gets up and puts his phone recording him playing piano on top.

"We'll need Chat Noir to get us out at this time, Plagg. _Transforme-moi_!"

He leapt from rooftop to rooftop until he spotted the right theatre. Then he snuck around to a dark corner and transformed back.

He sees them alone walking into the building. Perfect timing.

As he scoots around them in the crowd, he sees two men in front with suits, arguing with each other.

One of them says, "You better get more customers, or this place will have to shut down. Only elderly people are coming here now."

The other man, clearly distressed, says, "You're right. We have been losing customers for a while. But we can't close it down! This is the type of thing France is known for. The classics! This is a one of a kind theatre. I've spent my life building this, curating the best quality."

"Well, soon, you won't be. Unless you get more customers. I'm sorry, Jean. We can't keep losing money like this. This kind of thing is an investment. Maybe you can find some generous film enthusiast, but if it's me, then something has to change." He turns and walks away.

Jean is left behind, dismayed.

In Le Papillon's lair, he says, "Ah, a desperate theatre owner. What better victim to put on a show for Ladybug and Chat Noir? Fly off my little akuma, and darken his heart."

Then, when Jeans walks off, Adrien buys his ticket and walks into the near-empty theatre, with only Luka and Marinette ahead walking down the rows.

Luka gets into his seat first, then Marinette.

Luka says, "You'll love this, Marinette. It's your type of thing. My parents watched this years ago in this same theatre before they were married."

"That's so romantic."

Adrien sits down at the end of the row to the right of Marinette, with Marinette in the middle.

Marinette says to Adrien, "Oh, hi." She turns to Luka. "I invited Adrien as well. I hope you don't mind."

Luka smiles politely.

Adrien awkwardly waves and smiles at Luka. He leans over and says to them, "I forgot to ask. What is this movie about?"

Luka says, "Nice to see you again, Adrien. It's an oldie. A film noir."

Adrien says, "I watched many of those growing up. My mother really liked them."

The movie begins to start.

* * *

The akumatised butterfly is absorbed into the sulking theatre owner's fedora. Jean sits up straight.

Le Papillon says to Jean, "Le Forain Noir, I am Le Papillon. I give you the ability to force anyone into a movie. In return, you must get the miraculous from Ladybug and Chat Noir for me."

"It's showtime, Papillon."

* * *

Le Forain Noir burst through the doors, and started pointing at people, shooting a beam, causing them to be sucked into the movie they were watching at the time. The crowd rushes to get away.

Luka, Marinette, and Adrien notice.

Luka, looking behind them, says, whispering, "What's that?"

The others then whisper too.

Marinette says, "Get down."

Adrien says, "I'm going to warn the authorities. Maybe I can alert Ladybug or Chat Noir."

"But the akuma is at the entrance, and he doesn't seem to be moving! Adrien and Luka, we need to hide and wait for Chat Noir, and Ladybug!"

Both Marinette and Adrien look around for a place to hide. As Le Forain Noir is coming closer and they are about to duck to their hiding spots, Luka grabs their shoulders and says, "You're really brave, both of you."

They nod and duck behind some seats in different places from each other, and rushing between the teleporting beams.

They each crouch under a different seat and say, " _Transforme-moi_ ," transforming into Ladybug and Chat Noir.

Chat Noir rushes to an _exit_ door, and Ladybug does the same from the other side. They climb onto the roof, checking all around for the villain. They bump into each other at their back.

Ladybug yelped.

Chat Noir says, "Sorry. Didn't see you there, m'Ladybug."

She says, "The akuma victim's underneath us. He's not going to leave the entrance to the theatre." She sees him walking to the front edge of the theatre's roof and look down with a smirk. "Got an idea?"

"Yeah. I have a feeling the akuma's in the hat. Akumas love hats."

"You're getting good at this, Chat Noir."

Le Forain Noir says, "You better get down here before the audience is tied up in the action!" He laughs maniacally.

Chat Noir says, "At least it isn't an action movie." He smirks and shrugs broadly. "Uh… I'm assuming."

"No time to waste, kitty. Use your pole and extend it. Maybe we can get to his head and it take it off without him noticing."

"This reminds me of another time I fought an akuma. You weren't there then. Can you distract him, please?"

"On it!" She swings down and fights him.

Papillon says to Le Forain Noir, "Don't lose them in another realm, Le Forain Noir. Get their miraculous!"

The hat was taken by the pole from above. Ladybug grapples her yoyo on the roof and swings up to Chat Noir. Chat Noir hands it over, and Ladybug de-akumatizes it with her yo-yo.

Ladybug says, "Bye-bye, little butterfly." The white butterfly flutters away into the darkening sky.

Jean turns back to normal, and the viewers come back, as if nothing happened. They all leave the theatre. Chat Noir and Ladybug jump down and wander back inside to see the theatre owner there. Chat Noir helps him up.

Jean says, "Hey, what happened?"

Ladybug says, "You were just akumatized by Papillon."

Chat Noir says, "And we were here to help." He bows with his righthand outstretched behind him.

"Yes. Everything should be back to normal now."

Jean says, "That's incredible! Actual superheroes, right in front of me. I didn't think it was true! This is great. Let me just take a picture in front of that statue. I'll get my camera!"

Chat Noir says, "Sure."

They get into poses.

* * *

When they finish being photographed they go down the rows of the theatre itself to check on the remaining people.

They see Luka still huddled behind a seat. Ladybug wanders up to him, taps him on the shoulder, and says, "It's safe now."

Luka stand up, looks around, and says, "Hey, Ladybug. Have you seen two of my friends, Marinette and Adrien? They were just here."

Ladybug pauses. She says, "Ah yes, I've met Marinette once before. Hm. I _think_ I saw her here. Looks like the theatre is closing now, so she probably started wandering home. Not sure where Adrien is though."

Chat Noir, standing beside Ladybug, with his hand on her shoulder, says, "And I saw Adrien. He's probably doing the same."

Luka says, "Oh okay, thanks guys."

* * *

Chat Noir and Ladybug stand together outside the closed theatre.

"That was quicker than usual."

"Yeah, guess we got lucky. I didn't even use Lucky Charm. Either that or Papillon was lazy today."

"Yeah, odd. Anyway, since we still have time, usually I would use days like these to spend more time with you, but today I need to check up on that girl Marinette."

Half surprised and half trying to be, Ladybug says, "Oh, what happened with her?"

"She was at the movie theatre, and since it's closed, she'll probably be back at home soon, as you say. So this is as good a time as any. She confessed her love to me, and I had to let her down. I did it as gently as I could. I really want to make sure she's all right." He was about to say more, but he forced himself not to. Only Adrien would know the rest of the story.

"Hm. Is she one of your fangirls?"

"Not exactly. You know, it's strange. I've met her a couple times before too, and I thought I wasn't her type. Go figure." He leans towards Ladybug. "This kitty is in high demand."

She pushes him back on his nose. "Must be nice to get all the attention."

"The only attention I want is from you, m'lady."

She laughed, longer than usual. It was probably nothing. Of course, she must have just been in a good mood.

* * *

When Chat Noir arrives on Marinette's roof, she is on the balcony, seemingly waiting for him.

She says, "Hi, Chat Noir."

Chat Noir leaps out from behind the roof. "Hey. I'm taking you up on that offer that we could be friends. Are you all right?"

"Yeah."

"What's going on?"

Should she mention it? "Um… the usual. You?"

"Just had one akuma earlier at a theatre. An angry theatre owner, apparently. Nothing much."

"How do you get a guy to like you?"

"Huh?"

"I mean, I know this guy. He's perfect. Sweet and nice and smart and super-handsome. I-well, I didn't quite say it, but- I love him. But he doesn't see me the same way."

"You seemed to have a similar situation with me." He chuckled.

Her pupils shrank with embarrassed realization. "Oh yea I guess that's right. But this time it's different. I guess I've known him longer for one."

"Why doesn't he?"

"Well, I can't really tell you why _exactly_."

He smiled after she said that. She kept his secret. Chat Noir says, "Sometimes you can't convince someone."

"No, but there must be a way here! I need to do this! Please give me some idea on what to do." She planted her face in her hands.

Should he really encourage her? "How do you know he doesn't see you the same way?"

"He told me. And you know, don't tell anyone this, but also I snuck up on him when he was talking about me and he did say I'm 'a very good friend'." She looks crestfallen after she says that. "I guess it's progress."

"Sometimes people say things they don't really mean. How does he act when you're alone with him?"

"Alone with him? Well, he's a lot more comfortable than I'd imagine."

"Maybe he's confused."

Marinette looks at him with a confused expression. "Are you?"

He makes overly expressive hand gestures towards himself. "Me? No." He looks at out at the sky. "I know where my heart is, and that's with Ladybug." He smiles, then he suddenly switches to a frown.

They both stand there for a while, staring into the moon.

"Well, I won't give up, Chat Noir." She clenches her fist in front of her. She touches his shoulder. "Thanks for the talk."

He is stunned. "Um… sure." He makes sure to smile. "Anytime, Princess!"

He leaps away across the rooftops. Marinette watches as he disappears.

* * *

As Adrien leaps through the window into his room, his ring beeps just before he de-transforms.

Plagg says, "Look like you found a girl just as stubborn as you!"

"I suppose I did." He smiles.

"You too would be great together."

Adrien just stares off aimlessly.

Plagg says, "Looking awfully cheerful for encouraging someone you don't love into loving you."

"Oh, you're right, it was a stupid idea. I'll give you that. But what was I supposed to do?"

He takes off his phone from his piano and pauses the recording, and falls onto his bed, arms outstretched.


End file.
